Lettering device



June19, 1951 I 1.1. SMITH ETAL 2,557,152

LETTERING DEVICE Filed Aug. 20, 1945 F'gure I INVENTORS Joseph J. Smifh Ambrose E. Lynn Edward W CaI/ender Bwlw Patented June 19, 1951 LETTERING DEVICE Joseph J. Smith, Ambrose E. Lynn, and Edward W. Callender, Denver, Colo.

Application August 20, 1945, Serial No. 611,664

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1923; 3'70 G. '25'2).

9 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (ch. 450, 45 Stat. L. 467) This invention relates to lettering devices, but more particularly to that class of devices generally known as drafting lettering sets, wherein a template with letters cut or engraved therein is employed as a guide for the formation of letters on drawings, charts, etc.

While the present invention relates to that class of devices, it has for its object certain material and important improvements in the construction and arrangements of the parts which result in certain improved advantages, functions and operations, all of which will first be fully described and afterwards specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the invention shown in cooperation with a template and a straight edge or T square.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention, hereinafter referred to as a glider scriber.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the supporting tailskid shown detached from the end of the device.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures, in which:

I indicates the main beam of the glider scriber which is slotted and apertured at I at one end to receive and hold in vertical position a commercially manufactured special pen ZI, a transverse knurled screw 5 and tapped bushing 6 being provided to clamp the pen H in proper operative position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Pivotally mounted adjacent the pen end of the beam I is an adjustable wing 2. This element is provided with three holes II, I2 and I3, any one of which may receive the pivotal pin 8, but which pin is shown in the drawing as being located in the central or intermediate hole I2. The wing 2 may thus be swung on arcs on any one of three pivots, and is clamped in its desired adjusted position by the finger grip 4 which carries a knurled locking screw [8 which passes through an open scroll I4 and threads into a bushing I in beam I. In the tip ends of the wing 2 are positioned vertically the guide needles 9 and I0, either one of which may co-act with the engraved letters 23 on the commercially manufactured template 22.

In lieu of the three holes II, I2 and I3, which it will be noted, lie in an arc, any other construction which will permit changing the pivotal point of the wing 2 may be employed, such for instance as, an arcuately slotted aperture.

t the other end of the beam I is attached an adjustable tailpiece 3 which vertically mounts at one end a short, blunt guide pin I6 which cooperates with a slot 25 cut in the full length of the template 22 and parallel to the longitudinal edges thereof, as shown in Fig. l. The tailpiece 3 is provided with a longitudinally disposed adjusting slot I5 which connects with an arcuately shaped slot Iii located at the end removed from the guide pin I6, as shown in Fig. 1. After the tailpiece is adjusted to its proper position, it is securely held by means of the knurled nut and screw II, the screw passing through the slot I5 in the tailpiece and threading into a bushing (not shown) in the end of the beam I.

The end of the beam I mounting the tailpiece 3 is equipped with a removable tailskid I9 having inturned flanges I9 which enter the slots 20 in the side edges of the beam I. This tailskid I9 carries a vertical post I9 for supporting the end of the beam I when the tailpiece 3 is set in one of its extreme positions, such as at the arcuately shaped slot I5. At other times, when such additional support is not required, the tailskid It may be removed. 7

The finger grip adds to the convenience in manipulating the instrument. As shown, it is pivotally secured at the tail end of the beam I, by the same knurled nut and screw II that sets the tailpiece 3. It is securely positioned when the scriber is in operation by means of the looking screw it and threaded bushing I mounted in the beam I. When the locking screw I8 is released, the finger grip 4 may be swung away from the wing 2 to allow the wing 2 to be shifted from one to another of its pivotal points II, I2 and I3 whenever such adjustment is necessary. When the desired adjustments have been made, the locking screw I8 will again clamp and hold the wing 2 in its adjusted position.

In operation the template 22 is positioned on the straight edge or T square 25.

The glider scriber is adjustable so as to produce slant letters either to the right, left or vertical when used in conjunction with a commercially manufactured lettering template. As the scriber is moved by the operator, the engraved letter 23 on the template 22 guides the needle 9 attached to one end of the wing 2. This causes a duplicately formed letter to be scribed by the pen 2| on a sheet in front of the operator.

Templates on which are engraved different sizes of numerals and alphabetical letters are available commercially but because of the scriber commercially available for use therewith, the lettering and numerals which can be scribed are limited not only by the sizes of the templates but to the letters in a vertical position or slanting only to the right at angles to a maximum of 20 degrees.

Various increases and decreases in the height of the letter may now be obtained by merely adjusting the wing 2 to a fixed position, and positioning the end of the beam in the longitudinally slotted adjustable tailpiece 3. When the scriber is set in a normal, or conventional position, with the guide pin 16 directly behind the end of the beam I supporting the knurled nut and screw [7, and the template 22 is placed above the straightedge or T-square, and the letter 23 is traced by the guide needle 9 in the lower end of the wing 2, a letter of a certain size will be scribed by the pen 2!. When the knurled nut I! is loosened and the tailpiece 3 is swung around so that the guide pin it is below the end of the beam l, and the tailpiece 3 is at right angles to the beam 5, then by raising the end of the beam i in the longitudinally disposed adjusting slot 65, and tightening the knurled nut H, thus making the instrument rigid, letters greater in height will be scribed. The distance the end of the beam E is raised in the slot !5 determines the height of the letter scribed. Now when the knurled nut I? is loosened, and the tailpiece 3 is swung around so that the guide pin i5 is above the end of the beam 1, and the tailpiece 3 is at right angles to the beam I, then by lowering the end of the beam l in the longitudinally disposed adjusting slot [5, and tightening the knurled nut ll, thus making igie instrument again rigid, letters smaller in height will be scribed. The distance the end of the beam 1 is lowered in the slot i5 determines the smallness of the letter scribed. When the scriber is adjusted to make a tall letter, the point 17 moves a small distance. As the point I! is moved down the slot in the tailpiece, so as to make letters smaller in height, the distance through which point ll moves is variable and increases in distance. When the tailpiece 3 is swung completely around into the opposite position, and the point ll is moved down the slot in the tailpiece 3, the distance through which the point ll moves becomes greater. The greater the distance through which the point ll moves, the smaller the letter in height, and the less the distance through which the point I! moves, the taller the height of the letter scribed. The distance through which the guide pin It moves is constant and always remains the same on any one template 22.

Various changes in the slant of the letter either to the right or left of vertical together with any desired height may be obtained by adjusting the wing 2 in relation to the tailpiece 3, and positioning the end of the beam l supporting the knurled nut and screw H in the slot l5. When the template 22 is placed above the straightedge or T-square 26, and the letters 23 are traced by the guide needle 9 in the lower end of the wing 2, and the knurled locking screw it is loosened and the wing 2 is adjusted from left to right, or counter-clockwise, in relation to the adjustable tailpiece 3 to fix the slant desired, and the locking screw 58 is tightened to hold the wing '2 rigid, the pen 2! will scribe letters slanting from vertical to the right of vertical. By loosening the knurled nut I7, and raising or lowering the end of the beam l supporting the knurled nut and screw IT in the longitudinal slot 15 in the tailpiece 3, and then tightening the knurled nut ll so that the entire instrument is again rigid, vertical letters, or letters of the same slant to the right, may be maintained, but letters larger or smaller in height will be scribed.

When the template 22 is placed below the straightedge or T-square 25, and the letters 23 are traced by the guide needle [0 in the upper end of the wing 2, and the knurled locking screw 13 is loosened and the wing 2 is adjusted from left to right in relation to the adjustable tailpiece 3 to fix the slant desired and the locking screw 18 is tightened to hold the wing 2 rigid, the pen 2! will scribe letters slanting to the left of vertical. By raising or lowering the end of the beam i supporting the knurled nut and screw [1 in the longitudinal slot E5 in the tailpiece 3, and then tightening the knurled nut ll so that the entire instrument is again rigid, letters of the same slant to the left of vertical may be maintained, but letters smaller or larger in height will be scribed. This type of letter slanting to the left of the vertical is not obtainable by the use of lettering devices or scribers now in general use, as far as applicants are aware.

From this it will be seen that scribed letters, whether vertical, or slanting to the right or left of vertical, may also be increased or decreased in height.

Thi is very desirable, especially on types of drawings such as isometric, perspective, cabinet, cavalier or the recent Air Vu and Sun Vu system, since letters of appropriate height, width and slant, either to the right or left, whichever is more suitable to the drawing, may now be obtained.

To describe more specifically the adjustment of the device, it may be said that a number of combinations may be made by maneuvering the wing 2 and tailpiece 3 relative to each other. For letters slanting to the right of the vertical, all lettering is done by placing the template 22 against the upper edge of the straightedge or T-square. The letters are then traced on the template 22 by the guide needle 9 in the lower end of the wing 2 and the letters so traced by the needle 9 are scribed on the drawing above the template 22, as indicated at 24 on the drawing.

However, for letters slanting to the left of the vertical, the template 22 is placed against the lower edge of the straightedge or T-square 2B and the guide needle it in the upper end of the wing 2 is used to trace the letters 23 on the template 22 and the letters are scribed on the drawing by the pen 2| below the template.

The three adjustment holes H, l2, and I3, lie in an arc, hole H being the upper extremity of the arc and hole !3 being the lower extremity. For convenience and ease in describing the device, these three holes I t, I 2, and [3 were used in place of an arcuately slotted aperture. For obtaining additional range in the sizes of the letters scribed other than obtainable with the wing 2 set at the intermediate adjustment hole [2, additional range of increase in the height of letters is obtained by setting the wing '2 at the adjustment hole l3, while further decrease in the height of letters is obtained by setting the wing 2 at the adjustment hole ll.

When special letters of extreme slopes or sizes are desired, the locking screw I! for the tailpiece 3 is set in the segmental slot [5' to place the guide pin It closer to the beam l.

Having thus described the invention, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact construction herein described, as various changes and modifications may be made therein, and we consider ourselves clearly entitled to all such claims and modifications as fall within the limit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A lettering device for applying letters to drawings, charts and the like for use in connection with a lettering template having letters engraved or depressed therein, said device including a beam having means at one end for receiving and holding a lettering pen, a wing pivotally mounted on the beam and including means for providing a change in the pivotal point of the wing on the beam, whereby the wing may be swung into different positions with respect to the beam, a guide needle at each end of the wing, one for cooperation with the lettering template when the device is positioned for operation above the lettering template, the other for cooperation with the lettering template when the device is positioned for operation below the same, a tailpiece adjustably mounted on the beam at the end thereof remote from the pen-mounting end thereof, a guide pin mounted in one end of the tailpiece for cooperation with a longitudinal groove in the lettering template, said tailpiece being provided with a longitudinally disposed adjusting slot and an arcuately shaped adjusting slot with which the said longitudinal slot connects, a finger grip pivotally mounted on the beam and under the tailpiece and adapted to be positioned over the pivoted wing, clamping means on the tailpiece for fixing the same in adjusted position with relation to the beam and clamping means on the finger grip cooperating with the beam for clamping the pivoted wing against movement relative to the beam, the whole arranged whereby vertical letters and letters slanting to the right or left of vertical may be obtained by adjustment of the wing, increases and decreases in the height of letters may be obtained by adjustment of both the wing and tailpiece and additional slanting to the left of vertical may be imparted to letters by shifting the device from its normal position above the lettering template to operative position below a lettered template.

2. A lettering device for applying letters to drawings, charts and the like for use in connection with a lettering template having letters engraved or depressed therein, said device including a beam having means at one end for receiving and holding a lettering pen, a wing pivotally mounted on the beam, whereby the wing may be swung into different positions with relation to the beam, a guide needle at each end of the Wing, one for cooperation with the lettering template when the device is positioned for operation above the lettering template, the other for cooperation with the lettering template when the device is positioned for operation below the same, a tailpiece adjust-ably mounted on the end of the beam remote from the pen-mounting end thereof, a guide pin mounted in one end of the tailpiece for cooperation with a longitudinal groove in the lettering template, said tailpiece being provided with a longitudinally disposed adjusting slot and an arcuately shaped adjusting slot with which said longitudinal slot connects, a finger grip pivotally mounted on the beam and adapted to be positioned over the pivoted wing, clamping means for fixing the tailpiece in adjusted position with relation to the beam and means for clamping the pivoted wing against movement relative to the beam, the whole arranged whereby vertical letters and letters slanting to the right or left of vertical may be obtained by adjustment of the wing, increases and decreases in the height of letters may be obtained by adjustment-of both the wing and tailpiece and additional slanting to the left of vertical may be imparted to letters by shifting the device from its normal position above the lettering template to operative position below the lettering template.

3. A lettering device for applying letters to drawings, charts and the like for use in connection with a lettering template having letters engraved or depressed therein, said device including a beam having means at one end for receiving and holding a lettering pen, a wing adjustably mounted on the beam, whereby the wing may be set in diiiferent positions thereon, a guide needle at each end of the wing, one for cooperation with the lettering template when the device is positioned for operation above the lettering template, the other for cooperation with the lettering template when the device is positioned for operation below the same, a pivotally and slidably adjustable tailpiece mounted. on the end of the beam remote from the pen-mounting end thereof, a guide pin mounted on the tailpiece for cooperation with a longitudinal groove in the lettering template, a finger grip on the beam, means for fixing the tailpiece in adjusted position with relation to the beam and means for fixing the wing in adjusted position with relation to the beam, the whole arranged whereby vertical letters and letters slanting to the right or left of vertical may be obtained by adjustment of the wing, increases and decreases in the height of letters may be obtained by adjustment of both the wing and tailpiece and additional slanting to the left of vertical may be imparted to letters by shifting the device from its normal position above the lettering template to operative position below the lettering template.

4. A scriber for use in connection with a lettering template having a line of characters engraved therein and a groove parallel thereto, the scriber comprising a beam, a lettering pen at one end of the beam, a wing mounted on and projecting on both sides or the beam, a guide needle on the wing at each side of the beam and adapted to be moved in the engraved characters of the template for similarly actuating the pen to reproduce the characters, one of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to right of vertical, the other of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to left of vertical, and a guide pin mounted on the end of the beam opposite the lettering pen and adapted for insertion and sliding movement in the template groove during use of the pen.

5. A scriber for use in connection with a lettering template having a line of characters engraved therein and a groove parallel thereto, the scriber comprising a beam, a lettering pen at one end of the beam, a wing adjustably mounted on and projecting on both sides of the beam, a guide needle on the wing at each side of the beam and adapted to be moved in the engraved characters of the template for similarly actuating the pen to reproduce the characters, one of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to right of vertical, the other of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to left of vertical, further modifications of the reproduced characters being procured by adjustment of the Wing, means for releasably securing the Wing in a selected position, and a guide pin mounted on the end of the beam opposite the lettering pen and adapted for insertion and sliding movement in the template groove during use of the pen.

6. A scriber for use in connection with a lettering template having a line of characters engraved therein and a groove parallel thereto, the scriber comprising a beam, a lettering pen at one end of the beam, a Wing mounted on and projecting on both sides of the beam, a guide needle on the Wing at each side of the beam and adapted to be moved in the engraved characters of the template for similarly actuating the pen to reproduce the characters, one of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to right of vertical, the other of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to left of vertical, a guide pin mounted on the end of the beam opposite the lettering pen and adapted for insertion and sliding movement in the template groove during use of the pen, and means for adjusting the position of the guide pin to efiect modification in the size of the reproduced characters.

'7. A scriber for use in connection With a lettering template having a line of characters engraved therein and a groove parallel thereto, the scriber comprising a beam, a lettering pen at one end of the beam, a Wing mounted on and projecting on both sides of the beam, a guide needle on the wing at each side of the beam and adapted to be moved in the engraved characters of the template for similarly actuating the pen to reproduce the characters, one of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to right of vertical, the other of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to left of vertical, a tailpiece mounted on the beam at the end opposite the lettering pen for longitudinal and transverse adjustment relative to the beam, and a guide pin on the tailpiece adapted for insertion and sliding movement in the template groove during use of the lettering pen, adjustment of'the tailpiece and resultant modication of the position of the guide pin relative to the beam being adapted to effect modification of the size of the reproduced characters.

8. A scriber for use in connection with a lettering template having a line of characters engraved therein and a groove parallel thereto, the scriber comprising a beam, a lettering pen at one end of the beam, a wing adjustably mounted on and projecting on both sides of th beam, a guide needle on the Wing at each side of the beam and adapted to be moved in the engraved characters of the template for similarly actuating the pen to reproduce the characters, on of said needles being thus utilized when the reproduced characters are to be slanted to right of vertical, th other of said needles being thus utilized When the reproduced characters are to be slanted to left of vertical, further modifications of the reproduced characters being procured by adjustment of the Wing, means for releasably securing the Wing in a selected position, a tailpiece mounted on the beam at the end opposite the lettering pen for longitudinal and transverse adjustment relative to the beam, and a guide pin on the tailpiece adapted for insertion and sliding movement in the template groove during use of the lettering p a justment or" the tailpiece and resultant modification of the position of the guide pin relative to the beam being adapted to effect modification of the size of the reproduced characters.

9. A scriber for use in connection with a lettering template having a line of characters engraved therein and a groove parallel thereto, the scriber comprising a beam, a lettering pen at one end of the beam, a guide needle and means for mounting the same on the beam, said needle being adapted to be moved in the engraved characters of the template for similarly actuating the pen to reproduce the characters, a tailpiec mounted on the beam at the end opposite the lettering pen, a guide pin on the tailpiece adapted for insertion and sliding movement in the template groove during use of the lettering pen, and a member attachable to the end of the beam opposite the lettering pen to provide additional support for the beam when the guide pin is disposed in disaligned relation with the beam.

JOSEPH J. SMITH. AMBROSE E. LYNN. EDl/VARD- N. CALLENDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,011,195 Kenfiel Aug. 13, 1935 2,088,063 Kasselbaum' July 27, 1937 2,213,129 Burgess Aug. 27, 1940 

